Harold S. Deal’s Journal
Part 2
 1/17/45 – 10/23/45

The following is a transcription of a second handwritten journal that my grandfather kept during his service on the USS Liddle. I have tried to transcribe these entries as accurately as possible, however my grandfather wrote very small and mistakes are likely, especially in the names of people and places.  The ship hyperlinks will take you to the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships entry for that ship.

1/17/45 to 2/17/45

In Port, San Francisco for repairs following battle damage at Ormoc Bay, 12/7/44.  Leave 11 days: 2/3/45 to 2/15/45

2/18/45

Trial Run

2/19/45

Trial Run – Gunnery Practice

2/21/45

Medical Officer C. C. Parmley, Lt. (jg) MC USNR reported on board.

2/22/45 to 2/28/45 (1430)

Enroute (at sea) from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor.

3/1/45

In Port, Pearl Harbor

3/2/45 (0700)

Underway at sea enroute to Eniwetok

3/10/45 (1100)

At Anchor, Eniwetok

3/11/45 (1300)

Underway – enroute from Eniwetok to Ulithi

3/16/45 (1200)

In Port, Ulithi

3/18/45 (1400)

Underway – enroute from Ulithi to Leyte

3/21/45 (1100)

At Anchor – Leyte Gulf, P.I.

3/23/45 (1800)

At sea enroute from Leyte Gulf to Subic Bay P.I.

3/25/45 (1530)

At anchor, Subic Bay P.I.

3/28/45

Underway – enroute to an operation on Legaspi

3/29/45 (0715)

At Anchor, Lemery, P.I.
14:00 Troops on board

3/30/45 (1000)

Underway: at sea with troops for landing at Legaspi

4/1/45

Arrived Albay Gulf, P.I. with troops.  Put two minesweepers over side (LCVP) for sweeping operations until 1000.  Troops disembarked successfully at 1000.  Some return fire from enemy shore batteries on one of our DD’s (USS Bancroft) but she was not hit.  Bombers and P-38s for air coverage.  Beach pulverized by bombers.  Successful landing without casualties to ships personnel.

12:00 Underway, enroute to Subic Bay, P.I.

4/3/45

At anchor – Subic Bay, P.I.

4/3/45 to 4/7/45

At Anchor – Subic Bay

4/7/45

Medical Officer Lt. (jg) C. C. Parmley M.C. USNR Transferred to LST 464 for observation and treatment (Diverticulitis intestinal)

4/7/45 (1800)

Underway – at sea

4/8/45 (0900)

At anchor: Mangarin Bay, P.I.

4/9/45 (0630)

Underway – Patrol Duty, Mangarin Bay, P.I. (Mindoro)

4/10/45 (0830)

At Anchor, Mangarin Bay, Mindoro, P.I.

4/11/45 (0600)

Underway, practice invasion with troops on coming operation

4/11/45 (1845)

In port, Mangarin Bay, Mindoro Is. P.I.

4/11/45 to 4/14/45

In Port, Mangarin Bay

4/14/45 (10:45)

Underway – at sea

4/17/45

Made invasion in Illana Bay at 0900.  US planes encountered no opposition on the beach.  Cruisers Denver, Montpelier, and Cleveland (total 3) were with us on the invasion.

4/18/45

Left Illana Bay  - 4/17/45and arrived at Zamboanga, Mindoro and escorted a group of ships back to Illana Bay

4/19/45 (1800)

Left Illana Bay

4/22/45 (1115)

Arrived at San Pedro Bay – Leyte Gulf, P.I. and dropped anchor

4/25/45 (1400)

Left Leyte Gulf and joined convoy enroute to Polloc  Bay, Illana Bay, Mindanao Is. P.I.

4/28/45

Arrived at Polloc Harbor with convoy from Leyte (1100)
2200 – Underway – at sea, enroute from Polloc Harbor, Mindanao to Leyte, P.I.

4/28/45

Left Polloc Harbor

5/2/45

In port, Leyte, P.I.

5/4/45 to 5/7/45

Enroute from Leyte to Morotai with convoy

5/7/45 (1100) to 6/4/45

In Port, Morotai

6/4/45 (1200)

Underway – at sea with Australian troops 9th div. For landing on Borneo

6/10/45 (0545)

At general quarters, Brunei Bay, Borneo for assault landing on beach (green).
0800 – Beach bombardment started by Rocket Loaded L.C.I’s.  Cruisers and destroyer gunfire and by bombers.
0915 – First assault wave landed without opposition
1030 – Discharged our troops (Australian – 9th division).  No casualties.

6/10/45 to 6/16/45

Brunei Bay, Borneo.  Dawn and dusk alerts.  Several Jap planes shot down – but no concentrated air resistance.

6/16/45 (1730)

Underway – at sea enroute to Morotai with L.S.D. and Squadron

6/19/45 to 6/26/45

In port, Morotai

6/26/45 (1300)

Underway At Sea with Australian 9th Army troops for invasion of Borneo

6/30/45 (1200)

Tawlyn, Wm. George, Pvt, 2/12 Battalion, ACF Admitted for appendectomy.  O.R. set up in wardroom.  12:35 operation started with Lt. (jg) Stedman, w. Smith, MC USNR as surgeon.  H.S. Deal Phm 1/c assisting and M. F. Poll Phm 2/c on ????
Operation completed, patient in good condition.

7/1/45 (0600)

At G. Q. for invasion of Balikpapan
0900 – Troops aweigh, invasion made, no casualties.  Boats had trouble finding place to beach because of wire and spikes.

7/1/45 (1830)

Underway – at sea

7/4/45 (0700)

In port, Morotai

7/4/45 (1715)

Underway at sea with transports (Aussies to Balikpapan, Borneo)

7/7/45 (0700)

In Port, Balikpapan
1800 – At sea enroute to Morotai with Aussie transports.

7/10/45 (0745) to 7/14/45

In Port, Morotai

7/14/45 (1345)

Underway – at sea

7/15/45 (0800)

At Sea

7/16/45 (1015)

In Port, Leyte, P.I.

7/16/45 to 7/26/45

In Port, Leyte Gulf, P.I.

7/27/45

At Sea, enroute to Legaspi

7/28/45 to 8/5/45

In port, Legaspi, Luzon, P.I.

8/5/45

Received troops and went to sea for dry run with troops

8/7/45

Returned to Legaspi

8/10/45

Troops received aboard

8/11/45 (1730)

Underway at sea for dry run with troops.

8/13/45

In Port, Legaspi, Luzon, P.I.

8/14/45

In Port, Legaspi

8/15/45

In Port, Legaspi, Luzon, P.I.
President Truman announced that the four powers had accepted Japan’s surrender.

8/16/45

In Port, Legaspi, Luzon, P.I.

8/17/45 (0900)

Underway – At sea, enroute to Leyte, P.I.

8/18/45 (0950)

In port, San Pedro Bay, Leyte, P.I.

8/18/45 to 8/29/45

In Port, Leyte

8/29/45 (1230)

Underway – at sea, enroute to Okinawa

9/1/45 (0915)

In port, Buckner Bay, Okinawa

9/1/45 to 9/5/45

In port, Okinawa

9/5/45 (1000)

Underway – At sea, enroute to Jinsen, Korea

9/6/45

At sea, sunk a mine by gun fire

9/7/45

At sea, sunk 2 mines by gun fire.  We are passing through mine field.

9/8/45 (1000)

At anchor, Korea

9/9/45 (1000)

At Anchor, Jinsen, Korea

9/9/45 (1900)

In port (docked) Jinsen, Korea.  After laying in the bay off Korea (at anchor) we pulled into the dock at Jinsen, Korea, to unload troops and gear.   This was a tidal basin in which we were tied up overnight.

9/10/45 (0800)

At anchor, Jinsen, Korea

9/11/45

Underway – enroute to Dairen, Manchuria

9/12/45 (0600)

At anchor, Dairen, Manchuria.  Dropped anchor at Dairen but were informed that there were not the number of war prisoners that were expected so we left one APA to pick them up and we are now escorting the other APA back to Jinsen, Korea.

9/13/45 (1000)

In port, Jinsen, Korea

9/14/45

In port, Jinsen, Korea

9/15/45

Underway, at sea

9/16/45

Enroute to Okinawa in company with a transport APA, ran into the outskirts of a typhoon causing us to put back toward Jinsen then reversing course and heading to Okinawa.  Very rough during the night.

9/17/45

Took 45 degree roll this A.M.  Captain requested permission to leave APA as the course was too dangerous for us.  We are now on our own course.

9/18/45

After heavy weather all last night and this morning we are finally heading for Okinawa.  The sea has calmed down. 
1700 – In port, Okinawa

9/19/45 to 9/20/45

In port, Okinawa

9/21/45

In Port, Okinawa aboard USS Liddle

9/22/45

Transferred this date to staging area, Okinawa for further transportation to U.S. for discharge.
1130: Arrived in R/S Okinawa
1600: Aboard LCM – enroute to USS Texas (BB35)
1730: Arrived aboard USS Texas

9/23/45

Assigned to duty in sickbay.

9/23/45 (1730)

Underway at sea enroute for Pearl Harbor.  As we started underway the “skipper” said: “Well, boys, this is it.  The moment we have all been waiting for.  We arrive in Pearl Harbor on October 4.  Smooth sailing, pleasant dreams and anticipation.”  The ship’s orchestra then struck up with “California, Here I Come.”  The pennant of the “Lone Star State,” Texas was flying and a going home pennant trailing the ship – supported by balloons.

10/4/45

Arrival in Pearl Harbor.  We are to be transferred to USS Wisconsin today for further transportation.  To be discharged at Sampson.
1530: Arrived at USS Wisconsin

10/8/45

USS Arkansas which has been tied up alongside (USS Wisconsin) got underway at 1600 enroute to Seattle.  As she got underway the Wisconsin band struck up with “Hail, Hail the gang’s all here,” “Arkansas Traveler,” “Aloha,” and “Auld Lang Syne.”  The Arkansas band played “On Wisconsin.”  Tomorrow we get underway – enroute to San Francisco.

10/9/45

Underway at about 0630 for dock in Pearl Harbor Navy Yard – enroute to San Francisco.

10/13/45

The marine detachment that is aboard ship put on an entertainment for the crew of the Wisconsin.  It was made up of 5 men who had signed on as entertainment with the Marines – all professional among them was a Marine who played his fiddle wih Fred Waring.  Very good.

10/15/45

Arrival in San Francisco harbor this AM and passed under the Golden Gate Bridge at 13:50.  The bridge was lined with people and as we passed under the whistle and siren was blown for 1 minute. 

All the piers were decorated and boats and tugs and factories were blowing their whistles.  Tonight at 2000 we are to disembark in draft – headed home.

10/16/45

At 2000 last night an announcement was made that the draft would leave the Wisconsin at 0230 today.  We left the ship on an LCI at 0300 and arrived on the pier at 0450.  We boarded train about 0750 are now enroute via Western Pacific to Sampson.

10/20/45 (2245)

Arrival in Sampson.  (remainder illegibile).

10/21/45

Started with the preliminary procedures for mustering out.  Had blood test and X-ray.  Also orientation.  To be discharged 10/23/45 at 1130.

10/23/45

Received final discharge certificate and statement of service.  Left Sampson at 12:40 for Syracuse and Norwich.

END OF PART 2

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